Vibrant, creative, and big-picture driven, Rachel Bythwood Ayers has built Bythwood Creative (bythwoodcreative.com), formerly Bow Kite Design, into a marketing, branding, and events agency for nearly six years. With a background in graphic design and a strong community connection through small local business, Rachel has established a high standard of excellence while keeping fun and excitement in the client process. Curating brand projects and designing high-level marketing assets have been the passion and driving force behind the growth of both Rachel’s work and the expansion of her company.
“I love finding beauty in the details, and building a vision from the ground up,” Rachel said. “The chance to create memorable and inspiring branding and marketing is what keeps me on my toes, and keeps me engaged in this industry every single day!”
Whether a client’s needs involve capitalizing on their social media platforms, website and marketing materials, an overhaul of a brand, or help throwing a dynamic and exciting event, Bythwood Creative can help with it all!
To learn more about Bythwood Creative, visit bythwoodcreative.com, or email rachel@bythwoodcreative.com.
Hanah Rasmussen is the owner and visionary of Trillion Health & Hormone Clinic (www.trillionhh.com). Hanah has dedicated her life and career to women’s health, challenging the status quo, and diving deeper into issues that impact women of all ages. Trillion Health is designed and built to make women and their health a priority. Trillion Health was founded in 2019 with the mission of giving women an extraordinary health care experience—listening, exploring cutting edge treatments and therapies, and making real, meaningful change in the life of each patient they have the opportunity to serve.
“Most women have had a healthcare experience where they felt brushed off,” said Rasmussen. “Here, women are listened to and treated with respect. They can be as involved in their personal care as they want to be.”
Trillion Health & Hormone focuses on personalizing every patient’s experience and educating along the way. Regardless of if you’re being seen for an annual women’s exam or hormone therapy, patients should play an active role in their healthcare.
Rasmussen adds, “This is serious healthcare for women. Our team is comprised of brilliant people who are exceptional and passionate about what we do; without losing site of compassionate interactions with our patients.”
Trillion Health & Hormone, currently based in Omaha at 11819 Miracle Hills Dr., offering a satellite, soon to be full time, office in Lincoln, specializes in women’s health, hormone therapy, and medical aesthetics. To learn more, visit www.trillionhh.com or call (402) 201-2373.
Dulce Sherman is the owner and chief executive advisor of Sherman Executive Consulting (www.ShermanExecutiveConsulting.com). Running Sherman Executive Consulting full-time means that Dulce is making her dream come true while helping others in the process! She understands how easy it is to get sidetracked with things like human resources when leaders wear multiple hats. Dulce is ready to work with small business and nonprofit leaders to provide HR and operations resources they need to achieve their long-term objectives.
Dulce graduated from Bellevue University with a Master of Arts degree in management and completed the Organization Development Graduate Certificate program at the Fielding Graduate Institute. In addition to her consulting work, Dulce is president of the Latino Center of the Midlands Board and serves on several other nonprofit boards like Girls, Inc. of Omaha, Millard Public Schools Foundation, Heartland Workers Center, and the Nebraska Aids Project. Last year, she completed the inaugural LeadDIVERSITY program through Inclusive Communities and the Nonprofit Executive Institute program through the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands.
Wouldn’t you love to be able to call a trusted human resources leader when you have questions about employee relations, policies, or hiring practices? Let’s work together so you can focus on growing your business instead. To learn more about Sherman Executive Consulting, visit www.ShermanExecutiveConsulting.com or connect with Dulce by calling (402) 305-2236 or emailing Dulce@ShermanExecutiveConsulting.com.
“The Lord has given me a gift, and my prayer is I use it for His glory,” said Theresa Bradley, owner of Lady Bradley’s Salon (facebook.com/tbradloveshair). After 27 years in the industry, Theresa finds the most joy in helping cancer patients feel beautiful and confident while going through their journey. She has women and girls ranging from ages 12–82 who have hair-loss needs, from alopecia hair loss to medication-related hair loss and chemotherapy-induced hair loss. In addition, some women have hereditary thinning. Theresa consults with them and customizes a style, partial hairpiece, or a full wig. A lot of women want to cut off and save their hair prior to starting chemotherapy. Theresa helps them through this process. At times, family members will donate their hair. Theresa’s mother has been a licensed cosmetologist for 40 years and helps her with the wigs, and Theresa’s daughter Kaniyah just finished beauty school and is joining the business. They are honored to have three generations.
Theresa also loves to conduct classes for multiracial children and parents on hair care. She produced a DVD called Speaking the Curly Hair Language. This video resource has benefitted adoptive and foster care parents of multiracial children and has been utilized by various agencies in Nebraska.
“Women who juggle a family and a business have to apply the oxygen mask rule to our lives—we have to make sure we are secured before we can secure others,” said Theresa. “For me, spending alone time with the Lord and getting on the treadmill in the morning is how I fill my bucket so I can, in turn, pour myself out to others.”
Lady Bradley’s Salon is located at 13819 T Plaza—it’s a fun and welcoming atmosphere. They specialize in hair extensions and custom wigs. To book an appointment, call (402) 391-7979 or visit the Facebook page (@tbradloveshair).
Teresa Elliott leads up NextHome Signature Real Estate (nexthomesre.com), a progressive real estate franchise with consumer focused technology, a thriving culture, and world-class marketing.
Teresa works to be an award-winning real estate professional with a purpose for providing a luxury client experience. If asked why she chose this industry, she always answers that she loves helping people. For over 29 years, Teresa has counseled, contracted, and collaborated with a diverse client base in Omaha and surrounding cities. The amount of activity swirling in her community has provided great networking opportunities and, more importantly, a fulfilling and ever-growing philanthropic impact. Teresa’s dedication to encouraging and mentoring others extends beyond her professional responsibility, personally investing in the growth and success of her team members into impeccable producers. Real Estate is more than a job to her, it is her calling.
NextHome Signature Real Estate is an innovative and connected boutique of real estate professionals empowered to deliver an exceptional real estate experience throughout the community. To learn more, visit nexthomesre.com or contact Teresa at (402) 445-4899 / Teresa@ElliottOmaha.com.
Pappas Marketing Communications (www.pappasmarketing.com), formerly Albers Communications Group, was established in 2021 by longtime Albers employee Gina Pappas. Founded by Tom Albers in 2000, the firm has built a history of providing trusted marketing counsel to hundreds of clients throughout the Midwest. When Tom passed away in 2015, Gina continued serving clients in the areas of public relations, digital marketing, and video production as president. Now, as sole owner, she looks forward to putting her own mark on the firm while honoring what Tom worked so hard to build.
The future of the firm is built on a simple idea: planning + strategy = results. Successful marketing strategies are built on a strong foundation of planning. Careful consideration of the best channels for sharing your message is what drives results. By creating the right mix of earned, owned, shared, and paid media solutions, Pappas Marketing Communications approaches each client relationship as a marketing partnership. To learn more, visit www.pappasmarketing.com or contact Gina at (402) 292-5553, ext. 1 / gina@pappasmarketing.com.
Gina and her husband Brandon are parents to Grant (14), Colin (12), and Kendall (10). In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, spending time outdoors, and cheering on her kids in hockey, baseball, and dance.
In 2011, at the age of 26, Jenny Christopherson founded Cat Grooming by Jenny, INC. (Grandfeline.com) out of her laundry room. After six years, the space became too small for the demand and she began getting requests for cat boarding/sitting as her clients were having a hard time finding anywhere they felt comfortable leaving their fur babies. Jenny soon learned that there was not a good option for cat boarding in the area and decided to open up her first store front location in 2017. Here, she was able to hire her first couple employees and offer eight luxury boarding suites. After just three years, they outgrew the space with another groomer on the team and one in training. In August of 2020, Jenny decided it was best for the growing business to start doing business as The Grand Feline Hotel & Salon (Grandfeline.com). They moved to a 3,700-square-foot facility, and it is now one of the largest cat-exclusive luxury boarding facilities in the United States! Jenny now has five awesome employees; 22 adorable boarding suites that offer webcams and plenty of room for the kitties to run, climb, and play; two grooming areas; and plenty of room to grow. In her spare time, Jenny enjoys shopping, reading, watching Netflix, and spending time with her husband and three kids out hiking or traveling.
The Grand Feline Hotel & Salon is located at 2611 S 159 Plaza. It is the purr-fect place to take your cat(s) for boarding and grooming needs. They offer nail caps applications, specializing in lion cuts, full groomings including bath, brushout, ear cleaning, nail trimming, and shaving. The quiet, clean, colorful decor will put you at ease and help your cat stay stress free. For more information, go to Grandfeline.com, visit the Instagram and Facebook page, or call (402) 708-7341.
Founded by Kimberly Remmereid in 2015, Contour Construction (contour-construct.com), a commercial rough and finish carpentry company, has overseen intricate and detailed woodworking projects come to life in commercial establishments around the Omaha metro. Under Kimberly’s leadership, the company has grown from a core team of professional craftsmen and women to employing over 30 talented carpentry experts. Women working in construction numbered 1.5% of the entire U.S. workforce in 2018, according to the National Association of Women in Construction.
“For years, the construction industry was dominantly lead by men. I’m so proud to be in the construction industry as a female and make a difference on how women are viewed in construction,” said Kimberly.
Kimberly’s passion for excellence in construction is evident in her company’s success and contributions to the Omaha Metro community. Kimberly can be reached at (402) 238-2362 / kimberly@contour-construct.com. Learn more about Contour Construction online at contour-construct.com.
Shandra Pettit, interior designer and principal of Apropos Design (www.aproposdesign.co), launched her business in April of 2014 to fulfill her entrepreneurial drive, creative spirit, and passion for design.
Apropos Design is a comprehensive interior design studio with experience in a multitude of styles. From floor plans to finishes, Shandra’s work encompasses every detail of design for new construction, additions, remodels, and redesigns. Her knowledge of cabinet design and work within multiple rendering programs offers clients a visual resource to view their dream space in an exciting and realistic manner.
Known for her natural ability to connect and communicate, she provides clients with an enjoyable experience while creating beautiful, functional spaces. Recognizing the value of working with authenticity and integrity, she earns clients’ trust and respect. She strives to exceed homeowners’ expectations and build lasting relationships. Shandra prides herself on being an advocate for her clients. She educates homeowners about products and the design process to ensure they are comfortable throughout their project.
“Creativity feeds my soul! I am grateful every day for the opportunity to do what I love and affect my clients’ homes and lives in positive ways,” said Shandra.
Shandra is Allied ASID and a member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). To learn more about Apropos Design, visit www.aproposdesign.co or call (402) 203-6824.
In 2009, Monica Sempek picked up a camera to take pictures of flowers for her sister’s memorial garden. Twelve years later, it would appear she never put it down. “From flowers to faces” is Monica’s saying. She began shooting events in the community, trading her services in exchange for a ticket in the door. She loved how taking photos could take her so many places, and how it allowed her to tell people’s stories. Though she didn’t know it at the time, Monica was building her portfolio and a strong career as a photographer. Since then, she has grown Monica Sempek Photography (www.monicasempekphotography.com) into a household name in Omaha—everyone knows and loves her! This is because she channels all her energy towards making people feel empowered, beautiful, and comfortable.
The Monica Sempek Photography studio is located at 5514 N 103rd St., and it doubled as an event space before COVID. Monica had to pivot and converted her studio to a content creative space, and she leases it out to other photographers and online creatives. With the decline in events, Monica’s bread and butter has become commercial photography and her “Mugshot Mondays”—but as she will tell you, everything in life is an event! So Monica looks forward to remaining Omaha’s Premier Event Photographer. In her free time, you can find Monica fishing, camping, and enjoying time outdoors at the lake. To schedule a photography session for yourself, company, family, or upcoming event, call (402) 203-7908 or visit www.monicasempekphotography.com.
After a life-long career in the medical field as a surgeon, bioinformatics scientist, and healthcare quality professional, Valeriya Kettelhut decided to share her experience and expertise in another way—helping others achieve a healthy and youthful appearance with bringing advanced skin rejuvenation treatments, unique body contouring technologies, paramedical aesthetics tattoo with permanent makeup, and top professional skincare products and nutraceuticals. She assembled a team of dedicated healthcare professionals who share the same passion for helping men and women of all ages improve their health and look their best. With the opening of Valeriya Life (www.valeriya.life), the Valeriya Life team has already helped many people to not only improve their look but transform their lifestyle to a healthier and happier one. To learn more about all the services offered, visit www.valeriya.life or call (531) 777-2752 to make an appointment. Get your initial consultation free and 20% off for your first treatment.
Brittney Rexius is a powerhouse in the Omaha community—she leads up multiple ventures that are all centered on self empowerment and healthy living through education, exercise, nutrition, and support. With a desire to bring better products to the industry, Brittney was at the forefront of launching VHi (vhifit.com) with her husband Tim in 2019. The VHi Fit and Wellness lines are the best formulated and clinically dosed supplements on the market. These products can be found online (vhifit.com) or at any of the five Rexius Nutrition (www.rexiusnutrition.com) locations around Omaha. Rexius Nutrition is owned by Brittney and Tim. They were disappointed in the current retail experience, with most stores being extremely overpriced and a general lack of knowledge by the sales associates. Since founding Rexius in 2010, they’ve achieved over a 90% customer retention rate and opened many more stores in Nebraska and beyond. They also sell Optimal Performance Popcorn—the perfect healthy snack for all ages! In addition to Rexius and having six kids at home, Brittney and Tim are also co-owners of Iron Heaven Gym (ironheavenomaha.com). Whether you’re into bodybuilding or simply want to get into shape, Iron Heaven’s exclusive equipment and experienced staff will help guide you along the way. They are focused on building a community of motivators and goal-crushers. Lastly, to achieve the full scope of mind and body health offerings, Brittney established Lotus Transformations. Through Lotus, she does one-on-one coaching to help people accomplish their fitness goals, all while keeping the focus on transforming a wellness lifestyle. As a 17-year recovering drug addict who got pregnant as a teenager, Brittney knows firsthand how life-changing daily exercise and balanced nutrition can be when the world feels like it’s caving in. She’ll help you kick your excuses to the curb! To get in touch with Brittney, email brittney@rexiusnutrition.com or visit www.brittneyrexius.com to view training plans.